The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-05-26
T T
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c.,
MAY 81, 1887.

d.
of others are bowling
over the railroads on their
way to Camp George Washington.
The latter name is the christening
that the camp will receive on next
when the Drill will be
formally opened. AT the camp
ground no drum has beat yet, but
the reveille is sounded by the lively
ring of hundreds of hammers.
The busiest scenes are around
the base of the Washington Monu-
ment. Scores of men are at work
there putting down plank floors
for the tents. Nearly all of the
Monument grounds will be appro-
priated for this purpose. Scores
of carpenters are also working
hard on the grand stand in the
Drill Enclosure, from which the
contest will be viewed. The Drill
ground is probably the finest piece
of grass land which could have
been found for the purpose in the
whole country. 1t is now entire
ly enclosed within a board fence
twelve feet high. There are about
ten acres of green as smooth and
fiat as a tennis lawn. The plat is
oval and the grand stand extends
just half way around it. From
this the view is fine whatever way
you look.
To the southwark the white mar
BILE Monument-the highest in the
world-glistens in the sunshine
The view northward is particular
ly fine. To the left lie the magni
ficent War, State and Navy De
partment buildings, and to the
right the solid old granite Trea-
sury, while between the two the
White House smiles through the
groups of tall green trees. The
Corcoran building, Allbaugh's the.
atre and the Panorama building Of
the battle of Bulls Run are all
near by, and although rather toe
far for perfect satisfaction, the ROOF
of any of them would afford a cleal
view of the entire Drill ground.
The Interstate Commerce Com.
mission has returned home from
its wanderings, and has decided il
can best attend to its duties by re
naming in Washington after this
The Commissioners have mucl
work before them yet before they
can give a final decision as to tn,
famous 'slong and short haul
clause. The Queen and Crescen
and the Illinois Central railroads
have not yet presented their cases
and their testimony will be takel
f here. Other roads have asked per
mission to submit written state
ments, giving the facts more il
detail than they conld in their ties
timony before the Commission
These documents will take tim
for consideration. The testimon,
the Commission took on it's tri]
f has not yet been written out, ant
when it is it will have to be gon
over carefully, SO that you see ther
is considerable work to be don
before a decision can be reached.
The new rules adopted by tn
Civil Service Commission and az
, proved by the President have bee
the sole topic of discussion anon
Department clerks for the past fort
night. The agitation among tn
old employees is almost painful t
see. These people are very panick
nowadays at best, and anythin
looking to a more rigid weedin
out of Republicans frightens then
as well it may. Most of them Woul
!, be in a deplorable condition if re
moved from their official positio..l
Nothing is calculated to caus
greater CONSERVATION in Washing
ton than the contingency of dis
, missal, based on the application c
: new and strange conditions. Wher
: ever vacancy occurs all the clerk
: of the Department in the class b.
: low it must become candidates fo
promotion and face the compel
!, tive examination. They have n
discretion in the matter, for the o.
: der is mandatory. Thus, not onl
t does the clerk best fitted for tn
) promotion get the vacant place, BIT
=, the status of all the rest is ascel
tanned. Persons who get an av'
rage rs per cent. in the marking
, of the examiners, as you remen
l Der, are secured in their position
: and are declared eligible for pre-
motion. All who fail to obtai
+ that average are re-examined i
six months, and, ifthey again fai
they become eligible to reductio
I or dismissal.
e So of course the terrible chance
involved in the new rules caus
: great excitement among Cover
: ment employees. Four-ifths of a
: of them in Washington were az
;, pointed for supposed party service
I under Republican administration
and while many of them are il
competent, they have held the
: places because it was difficult t
get rid of them. 1t is to be hope
S these rules viii enable the heads {
bureaus to cast off some barnacle
I and to promote deserving subord
mates; at any rate they will be SUI
: to compel a degree of studious az
plication hitherto unknown i
: Washington. juno.